North Side Legislators to Address Pension Crisis

Days after Illinois legislators failed to address a government worker pension crisis; North Side officials are hosting a town hall meeting on that very issue. 

The pension shortfall is approaching $96.8 billion, according to The Chicago Tribune. Ward 47 Ald. Ameya Pawar and Rep. Ann Williams will join Cook County Commissioners John Fritchey and Bridget Gainer Thursday for the forum. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at St. Benedict Prep High School, 3911 N. Bell Ave. 

The representatives will tell residents what they’re doing to ensure fair pension reforms for taxpayers, employees and retirees, according to Gainer. They’ll also take questions from attendees. 

Gainer is the chair of the county’s pension sub-committee and said the crisis is due in part because of a drop in funding over the last decade.

To fix the debt, legislators must agree on reducing benefits, increasing contributions, finding new revenue, or a combination of all three.

Read more about pensions here and tune into Patch for a recap of the meeting.